Monday, August 21, 2017

Kickstart the Week with Amelia Sky #2

By: Nicole D’Andria

We’ve
previously showcased the first issue of Amelia Sky. Now, the series about a young girl surviving in a post-alien invaded
world continues. I spoke with the writer and artist about their heroine and how
they would survive this nightmare of a world.

This
sci-fi/horror series stars Amelia, a young girl suffering from amnesia, on an
Earth that has become overrun with Shriekers, monstrous creatures who are
hungry for energy. She is joined by Eleanor and her dog, Ace, as they look for
Amelia’s parents.

The story
is written by Jermaine M. Boyd, who has film degrees from Columbia College and
the Academy of Art University. The artwork for this issue is done by Gwynn
Tavares, whose other talents include sculpting and special effects. The editors
for the story are myself (editor/marketing director for Action Lab
Entertainment) and Brittany Matter (editor as well as reviewer/interviewer for Image+). Finishing off the creative team
is letterer Kuen Tickles.

The women of the apocalypse

The goal
for the project is $4,500 and it must be met before September 13, 2017 at 7:08
PM EDT in order for the project to be successful. Rewards include digital
copies ($10) and physical copies with a glossy concept photograph ($20) of Amelia Sky #1 and #2 as well as bookmarks, T-shirts, mousepads, variant covers and
copies of the prequel series about the Shriekers origins—The Remains #1 and #2. See
more of their rewards here.

Me: What do readers who have not read Amelia Sky #1 need
to know in order to understand Amelia Sky #2?

Jermaine Boyd: I designed part one and part two of Anti-Aliasing Awakening
in such a way where the reader would get a sense of what’s happening no matter
where they start. There are certain key things the readers should know however.
They should know in issue #1 that Amelia wakes up to this post apocalypse with
amnesia. The only thing she has that identifies her is an ID she found in her
pocket. The ID leads her on a path to find out who she is and where she comes
from. Her journey through this horrifying world is awakening a force inside of
her that’s giving her mysterious abilities, superhuman abilities.

Me: Eleanor and Ace have a much more prominent role in this
issue. What can you tell us about their dynamic with each other and their
importance to the story?

Boyd: They
definitely do, Eleanor and Ace serve as Amelia’s forgotten humanity. I was
careful to make the dynamic between the two feel very much like family. Because
of amnesia, Amelia has lost so many memories, the things that define who we are.
The most important memory she lost is the one of her family. Eleanor and Ace
are Amelia’s new family. They’ll help her define her humanity like all families
do.

Me: You picked some of your favorite illustrator’s to do variant
covers this time around. What can you tell us about some of the artists and why
you chose them in particular?

Shrieker

Boyd:
Sure, Amelia Sky’s story is very much
an all-female character driven story. Before I started coming up with concepts
and outlines, I took time out to think about the heart of the story. I didn’t
want to write something to write something. It had to mean something to someone
else and not just me. The search brought me back to when I was a child reading
about heroes. I remembered my mother telling me how she never had heroines as a
child. This is the heart of Amelia’s story. It’s never too late to find or be a
heroine.

I wanted the heart of the story to
encompass every facet of its construction. So, I sought to find amazing indie
female illustrators to keep that heart as strong as it could be. I found so
many extraordinary artists and unfortunately a lot of them didn’t work out due
to schedules or cost. But a good portion of them I kept in contact with because
their art inspired me and really helped me visualize the world I saw in my head.
Each one of the variant cover artists I asked to help represent the many layers
of Amelia’s world.

Me: Some of the rewards you mentioned include copies of The
Remains #1 and #2. What can you tell us about this series and how it
relates to Amelia Sky?

Boyd:
Definitely, I love The Remains. It’s
been unfortunate that I’ve had to slow down its production in the last months.
But now things are back on track with issue #2 starting.

When I first thought of Amelia Sky there were more characters. I
had so many strong female characters I wanted to initially install but I
eventually settled on focusing in on a few within Amelia’s immediate world. As
I mapped Amelia’s story I realized there was a way I could bring in some of
these characters. The best way to do it, I thought, would be to capitalize on
what happened while Amelia was sleeping at the beginning of issue #1.

What makes The Remains special is that it’s a prequel. But it also interweaves
itself into the main plot of Amelia Sky
as the story progresses. The Remains
tells the story of how the Shriekers invaded the Earth. It’s not only going to
show readers in detail how the human race fell, it’s going to show how groups
of survivors banded together to take the world back.

Amelia Sky #2 Page 1

Me: If you were in the world of Amelia Sky what would be your survival plan?

Boyd: Oh,
that’s a great question and it’s a hard question. The world she lives in is
brutal and grisly. Every second is tense; if you’ve managed to survive in this
world you’re either running or hiding. My survival plan would be to find a group
of people with various skills I definitely lack in order to form a plan to save
the world. I know it seems like a very daunting task in a post-apocalyptic
world. But this world is a little different from the rest because you can’t run
and hide forever. Survivors can’t rebuild society while constantly being hunted.
So the only way to live in this world is to stand up and take it back.

Me: What is the number one reason why people should back Amelia
Sky #2?

Boyd: I’ve
been reading comic books for a very long time. I’ve seen tons of comics that
were so inspiring that they’re now timeless pieces of art. Then I’ve seen
comics that had potential but were confined to the comic book industries old
rules. We’re striving to create something unique. We want to make an art piece
just as timeless as the legendary comics we grew up on. This story, the artwork,
it’s unusual, it’s eye-catching, and it’s haunting. The way Gwynn interprets
the script never ceases to amaze and astonish me. I know our readers will feel
the same way.

Me: What inspirational words do you have for aspiring comic book
writers?

Boyd: I
would say take the time and really search for a team that can really push your
project to new, unforeseen levels. Sometimes it may seem like you’re in no
man’s land, but you’re not. It’s a really, really big world (and might I add
multi-verse). You’re going to find so many artists who are inspired by your
dreams and will want to make them into reality. Once you find these people,
pick a handful and allow them to inspire you. Allow them to each amplify things
that you’re lacking. This will shape your dream into something more than you
could’ve ever imagined.

Gwynn Tavares

Me: What has been your favorite page/scene to draw
so far in Amelia Sky and why is it your favorite?

Gwynn Tavares: I loved drawing this
comic book. I am a sucker for dark snowstorms. If I have to narrow it down, I
would have to say page 8. It's just this creepy scene; our characters just got
attacked and now are driving on an abandoned freeway towards a darkened rest
stop. The only light is coming from their truck. It really embodies the sense
of cold, dark looming doom.

Me: Who is your favorite character to draw and why?

Tavares: Amelia. She's just this little kid, with
little kid reactions living in a world full of monsters. She looks at a gun
with shock and awe but seems to accept that monsters are around every corner
because, well, they always have been for her. She took me a while to “get”
personality wise. There are some things about her that would make it hard for a
normal person to connect with.

Me: How would you describe your art style in Amelia
Sky?

Tavares: Gritty sketchy watercolor. I’m not sure if
that accurately captures it. I don't like the way pencils feel on paper so I
start everything with ballpoint pens and the sketchiness wins over. I really
have to plot out my camera angles for the whole page before I start. Once I
know how I want the action to look and feel and I have a good variety of shots
I draw out everything without panel boarders. My originals of the pages just
look like nonsense collages. Then everything gets dumped and sorted out in
Photoshop.

Amelia Sky #2 Page 2

Me: The Kickstarter mentions the comic is
"color washed." Can you tell us what this means and how it effects
the art?

Tavares: We were trying to keep it very black and white
with color nuances in order to keep the world looking gritty and lonely, give
it that post-apocalyptic feel of a world where the lights have gone out. Right
now I try to keep my color pallet minimal: rusty reds, pale yellow and gray
blue. Only on occasion do I use colors out of that trio and they are usually
centered on Amelia.

Me: If you were in the world of Amelia Sky,
what would be your survival plan?

Tavares: Oh man, curl up and die in the snow. No, I
should have a plan...

Most
likely I would probably go all super crazy, disappear into the mountains,
trusting no one, wearing tree bark, living in a beaver dam and then try to
create some new weird religion that spreads word that the area I live in is
super dangerous and the monster aliens who live there will kill you instantly
if you set foot there. And then live out my days in peace with my only friends,
the beavers.

Yep. That
is exactly what I would do if the delirium from coffee withdrawal doesn't get
me killed on day one. But I honestly hope I would happen to meet up with Amelia;
there is no better place to hide than behind a looming threat of cataclysmic
proportions.

Me: What is the number one reason why people should
back Amelia Sky #2?

Tavares: Our little team that created this comic is
100% all hardworking and devoted to this story and I would want someone to back
it because our story is just starting and it's a good one. I back Kickstarters
because I know I want to be responsible for the art that is in this world. I
know the dent I want to make is to create more creators. We all leave behind
something in our wake, whether we give a dime to someone playing a violin in a
subway or buy a kid a pack of colored pencils. When we do that we start
something glorious that ripples into something bigger and more magnificent than
we can expect because saying “yes” to art benefits everyone and it makes the
world, I think, a better place.

Amelia Sky #2 Page 3

Me: What inspirational words do you have for aspiring comic
book artists?

Tavares: Do it. Quit your day job, put all your time
and effort into building one thing. Reach out to other artists to give you
critiques, many artist love helping novices. Start every day doing figure
drawing and every evening studying perspective. Make every minute of your
drawing count.

It’s
going to suck at first, especially the debt, but hell, everything starts out
with debt, just about every business in the world started out in the red. Just
like opening a restaurant or someone starting their own deck building or
plumbing business, you are doing the same. Also, so many artists live
poor. Join us, grab some ramen, thrift store clothing, shoes someone left
beside a dumpster and the best art supplies money can buy and draw your brains
out because drawing comics is gonna be the hardest art form you will ever
choose to devote yourself to. You'll never regret it and when you hit your
stride and you start getting paid for what you do, well, the feeling is more
amazing than I can describe.

And don't
forget to have at least two of the following under your belt: work fast, put
forth good work, and be a nice person to work with. If you can do two of those,
most people will hire you. If you can be all three, people will come find you.
Remember, no matter how many comic books are out there, there is always room
for another; entertainment is one craving that never gets satiated, people
always want more. And if you don't know how to start, come find me and I will
basically talk your ear off in the same manner I am doing now. You only got
this one life and most of it is spent sleeping, so use what little time you got
doing something you love. Oh, and listen to good music.

Me: Thanks for taking the time to share the details
of Amelia’s journey with me. If you’re interested in learning more about Amelia Sky, check out their Kickstarter.

Do you
have a Kickstarter? Want to be interviewed about it and have the project
featured on "Kickstart the Week?" Let me know in the comments below
or message me on my website.